Southern Pearls Cruise Dubrovnik to Split 7nts (Saturdays)

Check-in from 11:00 in Gruz, Dubrovnik harbour, departing at 13:00; late arrivals can join in Slano. Lunch is served as the ship runs along the Dalmatian coast, either to Sipan in the Elaphiti islands or to the small village of Slano on the mainland. Both are peaceful fishing villages and both often deliver a memorable sunset. Overnight in port.

After breakfast, on to Mljet and its national park; entry is paid on the spot. Lunch on board. Free time at the salt lakes and on this quiet island. The large lake sits inside the park, with an old abbey and church on the islet in the middle, canoes for hire, and cycle paths around the shore. The cruise continues to Korcula, arriving late afternoon for a guided tour. Ringed by ancient walls and fortified bastions, the old town is remarkably well preserved. Overnight in one of the ports of Korcula Town, depending on availability (port in the town center, or the port of Domince 3 km away).

An early cruise to the little island of Bisevo for the Blue Cave. The visit depends on sea conditions and entry is paid on the spot. On to Vis, once a strategic naval harbour and closed to the public for decades, which left it with the rare charm of the Mediterranean as it once was. Overnight in Vis or Komiza, depending on berth availability. Vis sits near the remains of ancient Issa, the first urban centre in Croatia, with Roman thermal baths, a city museum, and a waterfront walk past the villae rusticae. Renting a car or scooter is the easy way to reach the wilder end of the island. Overnight in Vis town, or at Komiza on the west of the island if berths at Vis are full.

A morning call at the tiny island of Scedro, off Hvar, to swim in clear water. Departure for Hvar after lunch, followed by a guided tour. Hvar is the longest island in the Adriatic, and the town holds a Renaissance cathedral with its original tower and the oldest community theatre in Europe, founded in 1612. Restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs run long into the night. Overnight in Hvar harbour, or at Stari Grad if berths at Hvar are full.

North to the island of Brac and the town of Bol, best known for Zlatni Rat, the shingle bar that shifts its shape with the wind. Walk to the beach through the pine woods or take the tourist train. Back on board, the cruise continues to Makarska, a town with a Mediterranean feel, its churches and cultural sites scattered through the streets. Overnight in port.

The day's destination is Pucisca, a Mediterranean village at the head of a deep bay on the north side of Brac, with a swim and a stop in a secluded bay along the way. After lunch on board there is time to explore the village, home of the white stone of Brac, and the chance to visit one of the few stone masonry workshops left in Europe. The Captain's Dinner is served on board. Overnight in port.

After breakfast, the ship leaves Pucisca for the final destination, the UNESCO-listed town of Trogir, with a swim stop in a secluded bay and lunch on board on the way. Early afternoon arrival. Often described as a living museum, this beautifully preserved medieval town sits on a small island between the mainland and Ciovo, and its compact old town makes an intimate finale to the week. A guided walking tour runs through narrow marble streets lined with Renaissance and Baroque palaces, taking in the Cathedral of St Lawrence and Radovan's Portal, one of the finest works of Romanesque art in Croatia. Evening at leisure. Overnight in Trogir.

Breakfast and time to say goodbye to the Crew and to new friends before disembarking. Split Airport is a short drive away.